By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
Touchdowns are hardly rare for
Bronson Yoder, who in his career had 27 of them before Thursday night's season opener. But No. 28, coming nearly a calendar year after a devastating injury, was something to cherish.
When last we had seen him on a football field, Yoder was being taken by stretcher to an awaiting ambulance. Because the season hadn't reached its fifth game, the NCAA's cutoff for a redshirt year, he would be eligible to return.
But would he be able? Of course he would.
After recovering from a shoulder injury that included nerve damage, Yoder was on the field for the game's first play and barreled into the end zone five minutes in. He finished the night with 54 yards on 10 carries, plus a reception for 21 more,
in William & Mary's 41-7 win over VMI at Zable Stadium.
Just being out there was accomplishment enough.
"Anyone who plays football and loses it for almost an entire season and then comes back to play, it's an amazing feeling," Yoder said in a postgame interview. "The joy you feel, even just in pregame, walking out on the field and being like, 'We're back' ... it's game day.
"Nerves are sky high, but as soon as that ball is snapped, the nerves are gone and it's another day on the field. It was pure joy. I'm absolutely blessed to play this great game and have another season here, to play with these guys and compete with them. I was overjoyed to be back out there."
Because, honestly, he didn't know he would be.
"After the injury, I was so distraught by it," Yoder said earlier this month. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. For a while, I thought I was going to hang it up. I had nerve damage, so I didn't know when it was going to come back.
"By the grace of God, it did come back. But it wasn't until the Albany game (Nov. 4) that I was like, 'I want to come back. I want to be a part of this team and keep playing.'"
Yoder showed no signs of the injury that nearly ended his career. And any thoughts that he might adopt a more cautious running style were quickly dashed.
On his second carry, a direct snap, he was bottled up after two yards. But he added four more with two spin moves and a lowered shoulder. The next play, he picked up 16 yards and moved the chains.
When he scored his first touchdown since Sept. 23, 2023, there was no special celebration. Like always, he tossed the ball to the ref and acknowledged his linemen.
"These guys, they don't care about who gets the credit," Tribe coach
Mike London said. "They care about the win. And whatever they do best that can help the team, that's what it is."
Speaking of unselfish … that brings us to
Hollis Mathis.
As you no doubt remember, he came here in 2019 as a highly regarded quarterback, the program's future as well as its present. Shoulder injuries derailed that, and as
Darius Wilson developed, Mathis' role changed.
The roster lists his position as ATH, as in athlete. And he is. But it should be SAK, as in Swiss Army Knife. Because he's also that.
In one of his most versatile performances, Mathis had 117 yards on six touches. That would have been 152 yards had a 39-yard touchdown run not been nullified by a penalty.
Mathis' 45-yard reception in the second quarter was the longest play of the game. Five plays later, on third-and-1 from the 4-yard line, he lined up in the slot to the left side. With Wilson under center and Yoder in the backfield, Mathis came in motion and took the handoff for a sweep.
Mathis beat everyone to the edge for the end zone.
On the Tribe's opening drive of the third quarter, he scored on what statistically was a 26-yard touchdown reception. But it was a flip pass from Wilson that he took two yards behind the line of scrimmage before racing untouched through the Keydets' defense.
Keep in mind, this guy had been QB1 his entire football life until the 2021 season.
"Definitely not exactly what I thought would be happening when I got here in 2019, but I'm definitely not regretting it," Mathis said. "And I'm loving every second of it.
"It's a really good side effect to play so many different positions and have a versatile role within the offense. But I'd be having just as much fun if I was, you know, holding towels on the sideline. I stress to the coaches, I don't care what job you guys want me to do. I just want to help the team win."
